Sandersville

History

Scottish settlers migrated here during the 1820s and built the Good Hope Presbyterian Church. In 1855, the town was named after the Sanders, a pioneer family. Home construction was influenced by the Victorian era, as there are a noticeable number of cupolas on buildings in the town. Hunt Refining Company has a refinery northeast of Sandersville which processes crude oil acquired primarily from local Mississippi fields. The refinery produces distillate feedstock, paving grade asphalt, heavy gas oils, naphtha, and roofing grade asphalt.

Geography

Sandersville is located in northeastern Jones County at (31.785455, -89.034572). U.S. Route 11 (Front Street) passes through the center of town, leading southwest to Laurel, the county's largest city, and northeast to Stafford Springs. Interstate 59 passes just west of the town limits, with access from Exit 104 (West Main Street). I-59 leads northeast to Meridian and southwest to Hattiesburg. According to the United States Census Bureau, Sandersville has a total area of , of which , or 0.77%, is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  434
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  384
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  337
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  334
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  297
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  277
• Eastern Bluebird

  Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  271
• Eastern Towhee

  Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  263

Most recent

• M 3 — 2025-03-15
  5 km NNE of Magee, Mississippi
• M 3.1 — 2008-05-16
  10 km W of Coffeeville, Alabama
• M 3.3 — 2005-03-22
  9 km NNE of Coffeeville, Alabama